Parachutes are an integral component of systems used to deliver cargo or loads aerially to remote or inaccessible locations. To deliver a load aerially, the load is furnished with a parachute delivery system and transported to the delivery site by aircraft. Upon reaching the delivery site, the load is released, ejected or dropped from the aircraft. Shortly after release, a parachute is deployed, which is typically attached to the load by suspension lines and other rigging. The deployed parachute decelerates the descending load to a velocity at which the load may land on the ground or water without damage.
Prior parachutes, including prior cruciform-type parachutes, have suffered from various deficiencies, such as excessive manufacturing expense, aerodynamic (i.e., structural) inefficiency, unequal load and/or force distribution within the parachute, lack of steerability, and/or the like. Therefore, improved cruciform parachutes and related methods of construction and use remain desirable.